The morality of downgrading by Fanjita

[wraggster]

Fanjita has spoken out on his blog about the recent release of the Noobz downgrader and the negative comments directed towards the PSP Community:

So, we recently released the v3.50 PSP downgrader, and it was interesting to see how many people commented on forums etc, to the effect of "every time you release a downgrader, you're boosting piracy on the PSP". That got me thinking - is piracy my fault?

After a lot of soul searching, I'm satisfied that the answer is no. And here's why...

By opening up homebrew on PSPs, we're giving freedom to the end user. They can choose how they use that freedom. If they care about the platform, then I hope they'll use the freedom responsibly, and run only legitimate homebrew, or at worst, backups of their own UMDs. Those that choose to pirate have themselves to blame if the platform suffers. If you choose to shoot someone, it is not the fault of the gun manufacturer. If you pulled the trigger, then you committed the crime. In other words, just because you can do something, doesn't mean you should.

Modern society seems to place very little stock in individual responsibility - all we seem to hear about is "I want my rights", and not "I want to have the responsibility that goes with them". In my opinion, that's what's wrong with the world today - a refusal to take responsibility for our individual actions.

Downgraders are tools. We provide them because we believe in individual freedom and have faith that human beings can be responsible. We do not like being treated like children by those with whom we spend our money. So it's your choice what you do with it.

Everyone who uses the downgrader for bad should look at themselves critically, and accept that THEY ARE HURTING THE INDUSTRY. THEM,THEMSELVES, BY THEIR OWN CHOICES AND ACTIONS.


I find it interesting that some of the most vocal anti-downgrade protesters openly admit that they themselves pirate PSP games. As far as I can see, there are 2 possible reasons for this:

They don't have the moral backbone and self control to avoid piracy themselves, despite fully understanding that it is bad for the future of the PSP. Do they need a nanny to stop them from being naughty?
Some sort of elitism - piracy is fine for them, but if everyone gets to do it, then everyone suffers. So long as they can do it, they're happy, and they're keen to keep others (even those who have much better motives than them) from enjoying the benefits of an unlocked PSP.
Neither of these positions is defensible, in my opinion.

On a separate note, I've noticed a terrible trend for people who are stockpiling copies of Lumines, in order to profiteer from the shortage of stocks. Worse than that, I've even noticed that some 3rd party Amazon sellers have been actively cancelling orders placed before they realised what was going on, and relisting the game at massively inflated prices.

Well, shame on all those people. It disgusts me that we give our time and effort so that everyone can freely enjoy homebrew, just to see a greedy few attempting to screw others over. It's hardly community-spirited, now, is it?

As the webmaster of DCEmu i fully agree with what Fanjita says, if you download illegal copies of games you will eventually kill off the very console you own right now. Lets keep homebrew and piracy far from each others, homebrew can only become more mainstream if piracy is kept as far away as possible.

[Tricky0]

i agree...its there choice to piracy not fanjitas. By no means is it his fault!

[LocoLobo]

I agree with him 100% and i think piracy might be what kills the PSP some day. It's already behind the DS by a large margin and i gotta blame the ones that support the piracy.

[comicgeek]

I think fanjita is now thinking of quiting the scene because of these incidents.

[splodger15]

^ ^
I can see alot of coders leaving the scene in the future I think it is because of the idiots who flame them for whatever they release/find

[Broadus]

Fanjita is so wise, but I'd hardly call it the "few" who want to screw everything up. It's too late for the PSP. Now almost every game released is absolutely terrible because of the constant illegal downloading and the inability for Sony to stop it.
Dark_Alex's very own custom firmware allows people to play ISOs right in the XMB.

[luis_05]

"Modern society seems to place very little stock in individual responsibility - all we seem to hear about is "I want my rights", and not "I want to have the responsibility that goes with them". In my opinion, that's what's wrong with the world today - a refusal to take responsibility for our individual actions."

fanjita is not only a psp hacker but a philisopher, this dude is just amazing, ten freaking thumbs up

[JAKETHESNAKE28]

that is wrong. I hope he doesnt quit because of this. Then I just might...Cry because we would lose DA and Fanjita. The psp is coming to an end! oh no!!!

[titch.ryan]

yes i agree with this aswell.

if people want to pirate its their own choice.

[Sketchy]

This is to true man, to true. Just because OE firmware gives us the option to pirate UMDs doesn't mean that we should - I myself run isos but they are bkups of PSP games within my possesion, i have 25+ psp games and its a pain-in-the-arse to carry them with me all the time. OE firmware has removed that annoyence.

ppl that download PSP games aren't worthy of the title 'Gamer'